Quick and Dirty: Bloody Tyrant – The Overture of Sun-Moon Lake

I’m always fascinated by bands from parts of the world that aren’t typically associated with metal. Even in countries extremely open and hospitable to the blackened arts forming and maintaining a band can be a chore, let alone putting out a decent album and holding onto a modicum of popularity. So when I came across Bloody Tyrant and found out they call Taiwan home, I immediately sank my teeth into their newest release. And although their countrymen Chtonic been part of the metal lexicon for a number of years, I’ve never been drawn to their overly Dimmu-esque style.

Named after the largest body of water in Taiwan, The Overture of Sun-Moon Lake is the band’s second release in as many years and is leaps and bounds production-wise ahead of 2011’s Dawn of Doomsday, making it a pleasure to listen to. The band is able to balance the fine line between anger and beauty by switching seamlessly between different styles. The vocalist’s dual persona that contains both guttural proclamations and terrifying shrieks mimics the music perfectly. The guitar work is measured and doesn’t fall victim to overly chunky death metal riffs or constant tremolo attacks found in most black metal, it fuses the two to create something both refreshingly unique and calmingly refreshing. Instead of letting the bombastic symphonic elements take a forward position, Bloody Tyrants incorporates them into the songs without missing a bit. A devastating blast-beat will suddenly be accompanied by a traditional string instrument that in turn gives way to an epic dark choir, or give room to an effortless guitar solo. Some songs tend to rely a bit too heavily on palm-muted riffery, but that such is common in many blackened death crossovers.

The four track EP is free via the band’s Soundcloud, but if you choose to purchase the album via iTunes or eMusic the band will donate all the revenue to elementary schools in their hometown.

Final Thoughts: By incorporating distinctly Western and Eastern influences, Bloody Tyrant prove they’re not the only Taiwanese blacked horde that demands the world’s attention.